UNICEF Cameroon Humanitarian Situation Report, December 2017

Relocation from Mozogo to Zamai has been completed for all 76 families that have returned from the captivity of Boko Haram in Nigeria. They settled into the shelters provided by the humanitarian community and are receiving support in WASH, education, nutrition, health and child protection.

In Kolofata IDP camp which is currently hosting approximately 4,500 IDPs and expecting to host 12,000 IDPs in total, the only available water point is 1.5 km away and as a result, people resorted to using unprotected water sources. UNICEF is engaging with the government to put in place a piped water scheme, but there are funding gaps of $103,000.

WASH, Education and Child Protection achieved above 80% of the target set for 2 key indicators, while Nutrition also achieved the average cure rate of 83.7%, well above the target of 75% for malnutrition.

SITUATION IN NUMBERS

1.8 million # of children in need of humanitarian assistance

2.9 million # of people in need (Cameroon Humanitarian Needs Overview 2017)
Displacement

In 2017, WASH, Education and Child Protection responded to over 80% of the targeted needs for two key indicators, while Nutrition also achieved the average cure rate of 83.7% which is well beyond the target of 75%. The funding gap at the end of 2017 remained significantly high at 53%, however UNICEF Cameroon used other non-humanitarian funding to supplement the gap while directing the available resources to the targeted activities, resulting in the key indicators achieved at over 80%. To continue responding to the growing needs more effectively, UNICEF Cameroon published the 2018 appeal in the Humanitarian Action for Children with the total budget of $25.4 million.

Impact of the Lake Chad Basin Crisis:

Approximately 4,500 people have been relocated from host communities to Kolofata IDP camp – a newly established IDP camp in Mayo Sava department. The newly arrived population currently have no water, except for the water point that is 1.5 km away. As a result, people resort to using unprotected water sources such as river. Remaining 7,500 IDPs are planned to be relocated to the site in near future. With more people, particularly children, being relocated to the site every day, the situation is very critical. UNICEF is engaging with the government to put in place a piped water scheme to cater to the needs of 12,000 IDPs, but there are funding gaps of $103,000. 76 families that have returned from the captivity of Boko Haram in Nigeria and were hosted initially in Mozogo have all been relocated to a site in Zamai, Mayo Tsanaga department. They are receiving necessary assistance, such as child protection, nutrition and health services. There are two water points in the vicinity of the site, and additional water point is planned to be constructed to alleviate the burden on the host community. UNICEF partner ALDEPA is also engaging with schools to ensure a smooth transfer of school-age children in the new site.

UNICEF plans to establish its presence in the UN House in Kousseri, Logone and Chari department, to ensure more rapid response and closer and more timely response monitoring. UNICEF plans to deploy five staff to respond to the needs in child protection, education, nutrition, WASH and health. This outreach will enable UNICEF to reach areas that might otherwise have been hard to reach due to distance.

Impact of the CAR crisis:

In East region, 211 new arrivals including 119 children from Central African Republic (CAR) were pre-registered by UNHCR in Bombe Chateau, Kadei department. These asylum seekers, who had been in Cameroon for at least a month at the time of screening and registration on 26-28 December, fled the violence in the villages located along the Noufou-Dilapoko (Mambere Kadei) axis bordering with Cameroon, following a renewed conflict between non-state armed groups. GarouaBoulaï, a border city with CAR has witnessed a slight population movement following the arrest of the leader of the AntiBalaka, a rebel group, by the Central African Armed Forces on 25 December in Beloko (about 20 km from the Cameroonian border). The situation has returned to normal, and people from CAR have returned to their place of origin, according to the Cameroonian police forces.